does steel cased ammo hurt your gun

Some people liked to shoot them in brush when it had been dry for a while. The projectiles typically have an lead core, not steel. Wolf .223 55 grain ammo is one of the most popular types of steel-cased ammo that I shoot through my guns. Both bores and barrels of the rifles that fired steel-cased/bimetal jacketed ammunition were basically unserviceable. The good news is that it seems as though demand might have peaked. Well, there are a couple of good reasons. I suggest trying a box or two before buying a large quantity. This is apparent in higher-pressure cartridges. The old Soviet Bloc countries have manufactured and used used steel ammunition in their AK platforms since day one, the AK / SKS is somehow designed to Cutting open the bullet and inspecting its composition is the only way to tell the difference. A variation of the _gat cookie set by Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager to allow website owners to track visitor behaviour and measure site performance. In rifle calibres bi-metal jackets, which are common with steel cased ammo, will cause faster barrel wear, but the barrel life on a 9mm is so long you'll likely never wear it out regardless of what you shoot. The round would cost the business a lot of money to maintain, so the costs could be reduced by banning the round. In fact, many experts say that aluminum cases are just as safe to use as brass cases. By comparison one was as accurate as the other in group size. No one is perfect. The short answer is no. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Survival | Will Steel Cased Ammo Hurt Your gun? Your email address will not be published. Are Berger hybrid bullets good for hunting? Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? These 5.56 cartridges push a 62 grain projectile designed with a boat tail, lead core, and a special steel penetrator tip. I shoot steel case all the time in my ARs but haven't tried it in a pistol yet. Experiment a little and see which type works best! Opinions vary, but I think the prevailing wisdom is that Yes, steel cased ammunition is hard on extractors. So, it is important to follow the manufacturers instructions for cleaning and maintenance, regardless of the casing type. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The primary, and really only, benefit of shooting steel cased ammo is the price. Stand a cartridge of each design beside each other vertically and compare the sidewalls. This causes carbon build up between the case and the chamber wall. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Another problem with steel cased ammo is a lot of it seems to be somewhat underpowered which can cause short stroking issues. Undoubtedly, the floor can be covered with dozens, if not hundreds, of used ammo cases after a busy day. But are they really? It is pretty dirty & tends to leave some lacquer when the gun heats up. Brass Ammo Pros & Cons Brass ammo is generally considered to be better than steel-cased ammo because it creates a better chamber seal than steel. Why Should You Practice Dry Fire Shooting Drills At Home? I shot thousands of rounds of it in AKs SKS with out trouble. While I dont generally recommend steel cased ammo, its not going to hurt your rifle in limited amounts. The Best Firearm and Firearm Accessory Reviews. Not one mention of reloading. Registered. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. You save a few dollars, but usually give up good accuracy. If you are a reloader, dont bother with the steel cases. Thats it. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. This cookie, set by Cloudflare, is used to support Cloudflare Bot Management. ), How to Add Shelves to Your Gun Safe: A Step-by-Step Guide, Shipping Container as a Gun Safe (Yay or Nay? An example would be in comparing 7.62x39 mm and 5.56 NATO. I have never seen anyone check ammo with a magnet, so I have no idea if this is true. I agree that the price of steel cases has gone through the roof so the affordable ones are only made in hard plastic. Unlock the Benefits of Knowing Your Winchester Serial Number, Complete Buyers Guide to the Sig Sauer P228. This build up can cause stuck cases. As stated above, as long as it's softer than the steel parts that are coming in contact with it then there shouldn't be a problem, should there? The __qca cookie is associated with Quantcast. - AllOutdoor.com Steel casings are therefore coated with a lubricant. Because the bullet doesnt have a solid lead core, it is called a steel core .A copper jacket can be found on steel core ammunition, making it difficult to distinguish steel core from non-steel core ammo. If youre worried about it, though, you may want to stick with brass-cased rounds. A tapered case fares much better during extraction, since once the seal is broken and the case moves even the slightest amount to the rear, friction between the case and the chamber is appreciably attenuated. Is Steel-Cased Ammunition Really All That Bad? ~ VIDEO But in the end I will stick with brass because it just isn't work a couple of dollars difference in price to fight with your piece while you are at the range. And a sloppy chamber adds to bad performance in accuracy. I'd buy a little and try it out. Stand a cartridge of each design beside each other vertically and compare the sidewalls. Ive reloaded a few 9mm boxer primed steel cases and they work fine. Also, if you use the steel cased ammo close to dark it had a massive muzzle flash, if things come to a combat situation you want the flash coming from the other side so you can see where, they, are, not the other way round. The steel used is a very soft mild steel vs. the very hard feed ramp and chamber. Yeah, I also have shot Tulammo from Russia with the steel casings. Steel cores are banned because the rounds can cause damage to ranges. In today's episode of "I Carry," we have a Smith & Wesson M&P9 M2.0 Metal pistol with a Holosun EPS Red2 red-dot sight carried in a KSG Armory Lexington IWB holster. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. The shooting ranges do obviously recycle the lead. Further, HK specifically says: All USPs are approved for use with +P and +P+ ammunition as it appliesRead more . In most Russian ammo (Tula, Monarch, etc.) These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. There are two reasons ranges sometimes ban steel-cased ammo: Steel jackets cause more wear and tear on backstops than copper ones, even though they do not damage backstops to the same extent as steel core rounds. Copper bullets may be lighter than lead bullets, but they are also harder. 20 years ago we would read an article about how bad eggs were for cholesterol and now we read that they are not that bad and it is ok to eat two a day but dont eat the bacon. Theres nothing wrong with Russian steel-cased ammo, other than it smells like somebody has thrown a cat on a trash fire. The issue with steel cased ammo is that it does not occlude the chamber as well as brass. Cast aluminum is simply a stronger form of aluminum. The steel cased Ammo usually has a bimetallic jacket that is magnetic and is harsher on your barrel. Steel is naturally less slick than brass, which can also contribute to the stuck case issue. The firearm can be functional and perfect, but it can also be damaged, faulty, or even outright broken, or non-functional. Any sparks from a steel round might also spark a fire, which is more likely. steel rusts, so cases have to be lacquered to control corrosion. If you believed the hype (as did I), the mere thought of using such trash would surely destroy your gun. To add to a excellent list of reasons,some ranges use rubber peices in the backstops and if steel can start fires on certain outdoor ranges with grass. U.S.A. -(AmmoLand.com)- COVID 19 and Joe Biden suck, they have driven the price of ammo through the roof, even previously-affordable steel-cased stuff. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Installed by Google Analytics, _gid cookie stores information on how visitors use a website, while also creating an analytics report of the website's performance. The depriming punch in the resizing die would be damaged in such a case. I received 35 dollars for it. Top 5 Common Concealed Carry Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them). Steel tends to keep the chamber sealed slightly longer, causing the case to stick in the chamber as the action is unlocking and attempting to extract the fired cartridge case. To me, this is not a big problem because I regularly clean my rifle. Does the Russian military use steel cased ammo? Another advantage of steel casings is that cartridges are extracted more efficiently than brass casings. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. To the firing pin, etc? Nope. Common brands of steel-cased ammo are TulaAmmo, Brown Bear, and Wolf. | The Gun Owner The Gun Owner 558 subscribers Subscribe 893 100K views 3 years ago #TheGunOwner #Californiaguns Where would we be, without the miracles of marketing? Have you searched on extractor wear with steel cased ammo? One difference between steel-cased rifle and pistol ammo is the working chamber pressure. Whats The Problem With Shooting Steel-Cased Ammo At The Range? So, not only is it a sustainable material, but it also has a minimal impact on the environment. What is M855? No commercially available handgun rounds have the steel core as they would qualify as illegal armor piercing ammo under federal law. Also, they dont want steel mixed with that for obvious reasons. Personally I don't use it in my C9 because it just doesn't feed reliably. Accidental shootings are a big problem, and they happen all over the world. This is because most steel-cased ammo uses a mild steel core, and is difficult for ranges to differentiate from armor-piercing steel-core ammo which would quickly destroy targets. Some of it is sealed with lacquer that stinks. My Blog does steel cased ammo hurt your gun @jh45gun Your statement above non bi-metallic seems to be saying that the case is bi-metallic. Winchesters USA-Forged steel-cased ammo performed as well or better than comparable brass-cased ammo in my guns. Its that way with everything if you noticed. For those not familiar with Hybrid bullets, the Hybrid design blends two common bullet nose shapes on the front section of the bullet (from the tip to the start of the bearing surface). Another problem with steel cased ammo is a lot of it seems to be somewhat underpowered which can cause short stroking issues. Steel-cased ammo may also be associated with an increased fire risk because it tends to cause more sparks than bullets without steel cases. Read More Why Should You Practice Dry Fire Shooting Drills At Home?Continue, You may end up seriously hurting both yourself and those closest to you if you conceal a firearm in the wrong way. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The lacquer will soften, and if the round sits in the chamber as it cools, it can make extraction more difficult in firearms not designed with a generous chamber. Youtube - Track the views of embedded videos. M855 is often called green tip ammo for its special color coding (the full metal jacket is painted green at the nose). To test if a bullet is ferrous, some ranges hold a magnet to it. Some people say that aluminum cases can cause damage to the gun, while others claim that there is no difference between using aluminum and brass cases. People with disabilities are still capable of shooting a gun, contrary to popular belief. Different shooters prefer different ammo casings for different reasons. And it does not corrode, so it can be used in humid and saltwater environments without issue. It has always worked fine for me. For example, a steel-cased .45 ACP is essentially a straight-walled case, but the working pressures are around 20,000 psi which make extraction easier. Those of that opinion are quick to reference extractor breakage or failure, especially in the AR-15/M16 platforms. At the end of the day, it is up to you to decide which ammo casing is best for you and your firearm. But many companies around the mid-2000s discovered that customers were complaining that their guns werent reliable because they wouldnt run Russian steel-cased ammo very well. Do that with steel cases. In lieu of a single, centered flash hole, two flash holes are off to one side of the primer pocket. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". But is there really a difference between the two types of ammunition, particularly over a long period of time? Theres also the issue Sometimes the cases will be sticky, though, and will be harder to eject. Does steel cased ammo damage a gun? - TimesMojo (SKS / AK owners, neednt worry.). Others claim that there is no difference between aluminum and brass cased ammo. It may not have been match-grade or the cleanliest ammo, but the Soviet calibers ran perfectly in Soviet-designed firearms. Is steel cased ammo bad for your gun? - Quora We learn from our mistakes. And for quite Cases made of steel cannot be reloaded, so they must be thrown away. With a little fouling, it is easy to see how the more-tapered 7.62x39 mm would be easier to extract than the 5.56 NATO. The other problem with steel cased ammo is that the cases dont expand the same way that brass cases do. Because spent shells are mixed with brass ammo, a gun range may prohibit steel-cased ammo. Everything I have shot through it has been either steel or aluminum cased. With a little fouling, it is easy to see how the more-tapered 7.62x39 mm would be easier to extract than the 5.56 NATO. Steel Cased Ammo Pretty much daily I get the question Is it okay to shoot steel cased ammo in my Windham Weaponry AR15?. I think it is generally dirty ammo. If you are buying ammo for home defense or your carry weapon, then DO NOT BUY TulAmmo. Your email address will not be published. Better not tell the hundreds of AK shooters whom are shooting thousands of Steel cased 7.62X39 rounds per day, here and world wide. steel case ammo Can You Shoot Steel Cased Ammo in a Glock? | The Ammo Blog This causes carbon build up between the case and the chamber wall. What are the pros and cons for steel shell cases, more specifically, Winchesters USA-Forged 9 mm, 115-grain (Item WIN9S), 150-round pack? Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. This tangent section of the ogive results in the bullet being much less sensitive to seating depth. Penetrator rifle rounds similar to M855 are available as well, and they do have steel core. I noticed that there was some burning of the breach when using steel case ammo. If I had a junk yard it would be worth it. Basically, I feel it is the same as global warming, scientists just dont fully understand or know but they getRead more . This is an Alexa Analytics cookie that is used to track user behavior. One of the biggest misconceptions is since steel is harder than brass or aluminum, it must be harder on the gun as it travels through the cycle of operation. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Is steel cased ammo bad for your gun? If depends on the quality of the ammunition and the quality of the firearm. Some lots of ammunition have too While it is false that steel cased ammo does damage to your rifle, it may decrease barrel life slightly. Unless you plan to reload the spent cases, Id say the steel is fine for general purposes, leaving price as the only consideration. Envision the contact surfaces with the chamber as the cartridge case is being extracted. They argue that the softer metal of the casing can wear down your guns barrel and chamber, causing problems with accuracy and reliability. It does not corrode or rust, even in extreme environments, It can be recycled endlessly without losing any quality or strength. Small amounts of propellant gasses are able to get between the case and chamber and foul the chamber walls. It needs to be strong enough to withstand a lot of stress. A steel case is also prohibited because a magnet will attract it, thus making it more difficult to check for steel-core ammunition. These parts can generally be switched out with other parts of the same type to customize the gun to the way you want it. My HK USPc owners manual specifically states: CAUTION: HK firearms are designed to function with quality manufactured brass cased ammunition. Bulk purchases of non-standard ammunition support a wide variety of U.S. military assistance programs, as well. On the one hand, some people believe that aluminum cased ammo can cause damage to your gun. bigdogbuc Banned Joined Mar 22, 2012 2,112 Posts This means any component it comes in contact with will wear faster than if a shooter was running brass-cased rounds. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. 1 Why is steel case ammo bad for your gun? Steel cases cannot be collected and sold like brass cases since they cannot be reloaded. It is only the jacket which is bi-metallic, NOT the case. Woodbury said prices and availability for hunting ammo already have started to stabilize. Why is steel case ammo bad for your gun? YourQuickInfo During World War 1, countries such as Germany experienced a shortage of brass as a raw material and looked to using steel cased ammo as an alternative. This build up can cause stuck cases. The design of the cartridge has perhaps the greatest effect on how extraction takes place with steel cases. It can start a heck of a fire in a rubber backstop medium. This doesn't affect reliability as long as you keep shooting steel cased ammo or clean the chamber before shooting brass cased ammo. Pre-Covid, steel cased .223 ammo could be found 10-50 cents less per round than brass cased ammo. It should be noted that the rule about the use of steel core ammo can also be applied to outdoor ranges. Yet, the tapered 9 mm case enhances extraction once the chamber seal is broken. I have never had a problem with it in my pistols. Will Steel Cased Ammo Hurt Your Gun | Page 2 | The Armory From discussion withRead more . Brass is better at this sealing action because it is more malleable than steel. Instead I donate them now and I actually get more money and it is less work. This causes additional blowback, which causes more residue buildup in the action. While the ammo was kind of weak, dirty and even smelled bad, every one of the 2,700 rounds I fired through G43 worked okay and cycled my gun just fine with no malfunction of any kind. Indoor gun ranges often have a rule such as Armor Piercing/ Steel Core rounds are prohibited or Steel core ammunition is not allowed.. Id take this ammo over a lot of cheap brass out there. This shape is very efficient in the wind and is why the VLD became so popular. It is also possible for steel jacketed ammo to ignite dustings of unburnt powder found on the floors of indoor ranges when it sparks when it hits a hard surface, making it a fire hazard. Bullets With Steel Cases Versus Bullets With Steel Cores, Concealed Carrier Stops Mass Shooting After Being Shot in the Head Himself, DampRids on Gun Safes (Should You Use Them? Aluminum Cased Ammo: Bad for Your Gun? - YESTACTICAL The extractor may be the first part to show wear, but the wear is going on nonetheless. ammo Steel is also able to work in more temperatures than brass and tends to last longer. Using gas-powered cycling systems on firearms makes the extraction less effective. Wolf and the like are so dirty to shoot. i can get american made quality stuff for the same price, or only a little more. Though lead core bullets deliver a quick and humane blow to big game animals, they do so at the cost of lead fragmenting throughout the wound tract. Find it here bigdaddyunlimited.com/login.php. Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category . These wont damage steel-core backstops, but they will still attract a magnet, nonetheless. Also, I have found it easier to find steel cased ammo as opposed to brass-cased ammo on store shelves. Steel Case vs. Brass: Worth It? | Reload Your Gear In fact they used to use the corrosive stuff with no ill effect. The only items that are true is that steel-cased ammo runs dirtier (steel cases don't expand and seal out fouling as well as a brass), and you just have to clean your gun more often. But for people who reload, shooting steel cased ammo may actually be more expensive. A critical marksmanship skill that is easy to overlook. Its only maybe $1 more per box but its worth it. The vast majority of concealed carry holders, experienced or not, make the, Read More Top 5 Common Concealed Carry Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)Continue, Address Sounds like a good argument - until you remember that the steel in your chamber is MUCH harder than the steel of the shell. In general, any type of ammunition can be harmful to your gun if it is not properly cleaned and maintained. I'll "stick" to brass hulls in my firearms. Then the brass case expanding normally really sticks to the carbon left behind in the chamber. Steel is harder on these guns than brass, so it can jam. The other problem with steel cased ammo is that the When most people think of rifle or pistol cartridges, they think of a shiny brass case with a copper jacketed bullet sitting on top. Many shooters began to see the value of steel-cased ammo when $299 Saiga carbines were able to chew through the stuff without a single hiccup. There is a higher risk of sparks and a fire starting with steel core rounds. If you are a reloader, dont bother with the steel cases. The other manufactured downside is that some companies will tell shooters that using steel-cased ammo voids their warranty. http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/edu18.htm, http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/brass-vs-steel-cased-ammo/. The ferrous bi-metal jackets found on most steel-cased ammo will not damage the rifling of your AR and are perfectly safe to use on any rifle-rated backstop. In my not-so-humble-opinion, this is a cop-out to let companies brush off shooters who want to run cheap ammo in their gun. 2. Each one has its pros and cons and many shooters are firmly entrenched in one camp over the other. Steel cartridge case use in handguns (as well as long guns) has been the source of controversy since their inception. Again, however, I am not really certain whether that is the case. Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association. I suggest trying a box or two before buying a large quantity. The only way that shooting steel casing would not save you money is if you reload your own ammo. Brass ammo is generally considered to be better than steel-cased ammo because it creates a better chamber seal than steel. This cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen. If you are a reloader, dont bother with the steel cases. Steel case ammo is cheaper to shoot and generally works well in most firearms, but does have some downsides. In answer to your question specific to the. One of the biggest misconceptions is since This may not seem like a whole lot, but if you are doing a lot of shooting, it will add up quickly. It will still bend and deform under pressure, just like regular aluminum. If I were to try ANY steel cased ammo, it would be the new Hornady stuff. Practice makes perfect, and there is no better way to practice your shooting skills than dry fire drills. However, it is much, Read More How To Inspect A Gun Before Buying?Continue, Guns have all kinds of different parts. I suggest trying a box or two before buying a The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. In reality, its not the steel cartridge case thats the problem. When hes not reviewing guns or shooting for fun and competition, Jim can be found hiking and hunting with his wife Kimberly, and their dog Peanut in the South Carolina low country.